Sachin at the celeberation to maek his 20 years in international cricket
By Ashok Kumar
Sachin Tendulkar has completed 20 years in international cricket. He may be 36 biologically, but as Sachin the legend, he is just 20 years of age. I look back at my first meeting with him and view the tributes from luminaries.
In December 1993, I was in Mumbai to welcome the New Year with my relatives and friends and Mumbai was playing Baroda in the West Zone Ranji Trophy final. I felt it to be great opportunity to see and interview the Vice-Captain of the Indian team Sachin Tendulkar on the eve of Indo-Lanka series. I went to the Wankhede Stadium and was greeted there by Sachin whose one of the lofty shots landed at my feet in the stands. Mumbai won the match and I saw Sachin relaxing with the entire team in a cubicle of the stadium building. I sent in my visiting (The Hindustan Times) card for Sachin and waited outside. After a few minutes, I saw Sachin standing outside amidst his fans holding my card in his left hand. I approached him and told him that it my card and wished to have a chat. “We’ll meet tomorrow after the One-day match,” the humble big man said in inviting tone.
The next day when I reached the stadium, the match had just finished and Sachin was returning to his room when a fan offered to carry his heavy kit bag. He politely refused to share his burden. I reminded him of our meeting; he said “Yes, I do remember, come to my room. He called me into the room when Dilip Vengsarkar and Karsan Ghavri were waiting at the reception.
I was touched by the humbleness of the legend in the making. Ten years later, I had the opportunity once again to meet him soon after his double century in Sydney. The memory had not faded in his mind of our first meeting at the Wankhede.
On the completion of 20 years in the game, I join the millions to pay tributes to the genius. We’ll see what some of the luminaries have to say about Sachin:
Anjali, his wife: “… What I like about him is that no matter how tense he is, or how much pressure there is on him, when he goes out to bat you don’t see any of it. I’ve often asked him how it’s possible not to get distracted while playing in front of thousands of screaming people. I do have friends whose husbands are also in highly stressful jobs, but they are not being scrutinised by the whole world every minute. So the way Sachin deals with the burden of expectations and doesn’t seem to get affected is what I admire the most.
…It’s much worse when he does well and the team doesn’t. I know how much it affects him because, for him, the country always comes first. To me it doesn’t matter whether he scores one run or 10 runs or even a 100. I’ll still be happy because I know he’s really trying hard. But I know how much it affects him when he does well and the team loses, like it happened in Hyderabad. It’s very upsetting. It was a terrible feeling for me when I got up the next morning. In fact, it was devastating. Had he not done so well and had the team still won, it would’ve made us all feel much, much better.”
Lata Mangeshkar: “What I really like about Sachin is that despite being a great player, he is so humble and down to earth. I know he has broken so many records, done the country proud and won so many awards. For doing all that and still conducting himself respectfully all along, I think, he deserves a Bharat Ratna. Why just a Bharat Ratna, I would like to honour Sachin with a ‘Vishwa Ratna’!”
Shardashram students: Any talk of Sachin and the children beam with pride. “Playing for Shardashram means learning to balance pride with pressure. We don’t just represent the school. We represent all our heroes and Sachin is on top of that list,” said 16-year-old Akash Saraswat, a budding bowler.
Amitabh Bachchan: “I do remember that from the day I met him to this day, he has remained the same humble, quiet and shy person, one who almost wishes that he could avoid all the attention he gets in public. Yes, innumerable times I had delayed shoot or appointments when Sachin was going great guns.”
VVS Laxman: “Despite being a legend, what everyone should learn from him is the way he prepares and the hard work he puts in before a match. Just to see him go through the grind at the practice session is hugely inspiring.”
Saurav Ganguly: “There is no better sight in cricket than Sachin in full flow. The best thing about Sachin is that despite scaling new peaks of popularity, he has both feet planted firmly on the ground. That’s the reason he has not only survived for 20 long years as a top-level athlete but continues to prosper in all walks of life. In life as well as in cricket, Sachin always strikes the right balance. I have no doubt in my mind that he will continue to do the country proud with the bat for as long as he chooses to play.”
Sachin, on completion of his 20 years in international cricket: “20 years is a long time and I have many special moments and it would be difficult to count them. But the first one (Test), the first day walking out in the playing XI in Pakistan probably was the greatest moment,” Tendulkar, who made his international debut in a Test match against Pakistan in Karachi on November 15, 1989, said.
“It was a long journey and what I did after that was a reflection of my contribution to the game in the country. Playing for the country was my childhood dream and I have fulfilled my dream. I am fortunate to have played for my country for so many years,” he added.
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